1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a fastener assembly used to secure a member, such as a ceiling clip, to a substrate, such as a ceiling. The clip can be employed to secure a wire that can be used to hang objects such as cables or suspended ceilings.
2. Description of Related Art
A fastener assembly for securing a wire to a substrate has generally comprised a fastener, such as a pin, that is driven into a substrate and a member, such as a clip, to be fastened to the substrate. Power actuated tools have been used to expedite the driving of the pin, by firing it, for example, using gunpowder. It is better to mount the pin in a hole in the member before driving so that the pin is guided through the hole into the substrate without the need for the operator to adjust the parts manually during firing. Mounting typically has been done by frictionally retaining the pin directly in the hole of the member.
Problems have arisen due to the aforementioned method. When mounted directly in the hole, the pin can skew and be introduced into the substrate at an angle, which should be avoided. When the pin is introduced at an angle, the contact between the pin head and the surface of the member around the hole is not well distributed and the member may not be properly fastened to the substrate, the member can be damaged, and the substrate can fissure.
Also when the member is flat in the region of the hole, the pin tip plays the role of a bearing point, wherein a pressure is generated between the pin tip and the substrate surface prior to firing, further influencing the pin to skew. A previous attempt to solve this problem was proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,703,883 to Losada and U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,923 to Losada. In these patents, the clip has a large cavity formed for housing the pin tip, but with increased cost, complexity, and possibilities of deformation, especially if the pin is accidentally fired at an angle.
Additionally, it has been estimated that as many as about 20% or more of traditional installations fail. The failure is typically due to a deformed pin. It is desirable to salvage the member, which is generally the most expensive component, by simply replacing the deformed pin rather than an entire assembly.
Another problem has been the difficulty of mounting a simple pin in the muzzle of the tool. In prior art such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,495 to Braun, two washers were used to help mount the pin in the muzzle. A tubular body with multiple fingers is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,452,637 to O""Brien, but the pin still has to be mounted in a hole in the member. The problems of skewing and pressure on the pin tip have not been solved.
What is needed is an improved fastener assembly that will solve the problems of the prior art. The innovative fastener assembly should be easily loaded in the muzzle of the tool, should protect the pin tip from pressure generated between the fastener assembly and the substrate prior to driving, should keep the pin substantially perpendicular to the substrate surface during driving, and should allow replacing the pin in case it is deformed.
In accordance with the present invention, a fastener subassembly comprises a flute having a body and a pin having a tip for being driven into a substrate. The body of the flute has a longitudinal axis, a muzzle loading end, a mounting end, and a hollow bore. The pin is mounted in the bore with its tip proximate the mounting end, such that the tip is protected from pressure between the fastener subassembly and the substrate prior to driving. The mounting end of the flute has wings that extend radially outwardly. The wings allow the subassembly to be mounted in a hole in any suitable member that needs to be attached to a substrate while holding the pin substantially perpendicular to the substrate during driving.
In another aspect of the invention, a fastener assembly comprises, in addition to the above described fastener subassembly, a member to be fastened to a substrate. Using the wings of the flute, the fastener subassembly is mounted in a hole in the member. The subassembly is removable and replaceable in case the pin is deformed, so that the member is salvaged.
In still another aspect of the invention, the flute further comprises, at its muzzle loading end, an annular portion and centering elements that extend radially outwardly from the annular portion. The annular portion and the centering elements facilitate loading and holding the assembly in the muzzle of the power actuated tool.
Additional aspects of the invention include tangs which assist in mounting the flute in the hole and longitudinal weakness regions or apertures that allow the flute to collapse and seat or break away when the pin is driven.